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Historical ReferenceThis website is provided by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ONLY as an historical reference for the public health community. It is no longer being maintained and the data it contains may no longer be current and/or accurate.

In May 1999, an island resident asked ATSDR to evaluate whether any health problems in Vieques residents might be associated with potential releases of hazardous substances from military training activities on the island.

These activities included live bombing exercises conducted by the U.S. Navy. The Navy owned approximately one-half of Vieques until May 2003... Continue »

From 1999 through 2003, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) looked at whether U.S. Navy past military activity exposed Viequenses to harmful levels of chemicals. In 2009, we began updating our original findings. We evaluated data that we did not have in 2003.

ATSDR’s examination includes health protective recommendations, specifically for seafood consumption. Some Viequenses could be exposed to harmful levels of mercury from eating fish, if they frequently eat more than the recommended amounts. Pregnant women, women planning to become pregnant, and nursing mothers can eat up to 12 ounces of fish weekly. Children younger than age 7 can eat up to 4 ounces of fish weekly. ATSDR has recommended that public health officials consider conducting a fish consumption survey.